Monday, September 30, 2013

it was a journey that was new for some

this is why i walked this weekend in the
williamson county walk to end alzheimers
for the alzheimers associaton
for those who dont know thats my brother mother and dad
all stricken with the disease

i noticed at the walk some people wrote my name on their tshirts
i cant do that yet since i guess since i cant 100% say for sure that
i have it
although based on my testing it all points to that
and
i personally think i have it as i feel a slow decline thats recognizable
right now only to me but im sure it will start to show on testing
soon

thats mr b my walking buddy at the beginning or is it the end
is the same i think like the disease itself

today was the first time many walked on this walk
and
like with the disease its the first day that many will start
the walk with themselves or their families or friends as they
start that journey with the disease

im sorry to say once that journey starts it has only one ending
and the journey is usually a sad one until it ends

you cant turn back like pople were able to at this walk when
they got too tired or hot or sweaty or muddy
life
im afraid with this disease
doesnt quite work that way

its only one direction with a lot of hills and valleys
but its is only a downward one

thats my buddy michael who two years ago gave me a pillow he made
to raise money and made a poster that he and his brother pulled in a wagon
the 2+ miles around the walk that said
im walking for dr nash
then gave me a letter ive posted and saved
it makes me cry every time i try to read it

he always raises money this year it was by collecting cans
and selling them
and he is one of the top fundraisers on his team

this is another one of my buddies
a die hard aggie fan
whom i am always trying to convert to a horn fan

what i like about mr b michael and aggie kid
especially joshua the middle schooler who sang the national anthem
and the high school cheerleaders and the school band that was there
was that there was this youth presence there this weekend

that is important for us to find a cure
as it will be them that will benefit the most from all of the treatments
that are on the way

some of the treatment research is financed by some of the
money raised through these walks

its the young sons and daughters and grand kids and great kids
and nephews and nieces that get lost sometimes
in all this alzheimers business
they are affected by this like we are
lets dont forget them

these are volunteers from the habitat for humanity that i work with
frequently
they spend a lot of hours every year helping build these houses
for deserving families
i personally want to thank them for taking the time to walk with us
today

we all need to be volunteering somewhere and giving back to those
in need

this is most of our team the organicgreendoctor tean that walked
last saturday

thanks to each one who took the time to walk with us today

most of not all have been affected some way by
alzheimers disease

a parent
a grand parent
an in law
a sibling
a spouse
a friend
a relative

then finally
this is my wife she
the one with the hat on
with the alzheimers walk miniature donkey
thanks to her for her support

i wish her a happy anniversary next saturday
(we will be putting in the square foot garden that we auctioned
off for the walk)
and
i hope we have a lot of good times together in the near future until
that journey starts to slow down
love you